Variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism.



c. JOHNSON & c. FRANK. v VARIABLE SPEED POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1911.

Patented Dec. 12', 1911.

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COLUMBIA P141911!!! CP YMHINGTON D C a l rofis UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES JOHNSON, OF AUBURN, AND CHARLES FRANK, 0F SENECA FALLS, NEWYORK;

VARIABLE-SPEED POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 630,297.

State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inVariable-Speed Power-Transmitting Mechanism, of which the following,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear,and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in variable speed powertransmitting mechanism of the class set forth in our Patent #872,131,November 26, 1907, and refers more particularly to the apron-drivingmechanism of manure spreaders and similar machines in which an endlessbed is actuated through the medium of a worm and gear.

In machines ofthis character in which the endless bed or apron is movedat a relatively slow rate of speed to'feed the fertilizer to the beateror beaters, thev entire load of fertilizer iscarried by the apron and inmany instances is compact, plastic and therefore heavy and adheres moreor less to the sides of the box, thereby requiring considerable power tooperate the traveling bed or apron.

' The worm and gear is found to be the most practicable and efiicientmeans for transmitting motion from the driving gear to the apron andowing to the fact that the worm is necessarily tangential to the wormgear, it sometimes happens that the worm shaft or its supportingbearings will become bent or broken under the strains to which they aresubjected, and the main object of our present invention is to obviatethis liability by providing an intermediate rigid connection between theshafts of the worm and gear for the purpose not only of holding the wormin operative engagement with the gear but also of preventing the bendingor breaking of the worm shaft and its bearings.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear end of amanure spreader showing oiiifimprgved apron driving mechanism. Fig. 2 isafenlarged rear elevation partly in section of the aprohdriv-i bearings2 on one side of the main body I.

or box 3- of the spreader and is provided with a worm 4:- meshing with agear --5 which is secured to the adjacent end of a transverselyextending shaft or drum 6- for operating a traveling bed or apron '7formingthe bottom of the box 3.

A pinion 8 is suitably splined upon the worm shaft 1 to slide endwiseinto and out of engagement with a relatively large gear -9 having aseries of concentrio rows ofteeth not shown but of substan tially thesame construction as that shown in our patent referred to for drivingthe worm shaft and endless bed or apron at different speeds, said gear 9being mount- 7 ed upon the rear axle as 10-- of the machine. l

The pinio'n -8 may be moved endwise by any suitable operating means andfor this purpose is connected to a sliding collar -11 on thewormshaft 1and adapted to be operated lengthwise of said shaft by means of a rod orlink 12- and suitable hand lever not shown.

The front end of the worm shaft 1 may be yoked to the main driving shaftor axle 10 by any suitable bearing not necessary to herein illustrate ordescribe, while ,thelbearing 2- is adapted to re ceive the rear end ofthe same shaft and is secured by suitable fastening means to theadjacent side of the box 3 some distance to the rear of the verticalplane of the axis of the apron shaft or drum 6. This bearing is providedwith a laterally projecting stud 13 directly over the drum shaft -6 andconnected to said drum shaft by a tie bar -1 which forms the mainfeature of our present invention. The opposite ends of the bar areprovided with apertures for receiving the stud 13 and shaft --6- and isheld vertical line in close proximity to the rear end of the worm --4where the strain is most severe so that the liability of bending 0;;breaking of any of the associated parts of the driving mechanism ismaterially reduced and at the same time the worm is more effectivelyheld in operative engagement with the worm gear. Another importantadvantage in the use of this tie bar is that it holds the worm shaftmore steadily against vibratory or springing movement and thus permitsthe pinion 8- to be moved longitudinally thereof with greater freedom inchanging speeds.

What We claim is: r

1. A driving gear mechanism comprising a driving element, a worm shaftextending therefrom at an inclination, a pinion slidably mounted uponsaid worm shaft and adapted to be shifted into operative engagement withsaid driving element, a driven element, a gear secured to said drivenelement and meshing with the worm shaft, a supporting bracket for oneend of the worm shaft and formed with a laterally projecting stud, and avertically disposed rigid tie bar connecting said stud to said drivenelement.

2. A driving gear mechanism comprising a rotatable element, a worm gearcarried thereby, a worm shaft having a worm meshing with said gear, abearing for the worm shaft having a laterally projecting stud, a

rigid connection between the stud and said element, and means fordriving the Worm shaft.

3. A driving gear mechanism comprising a rotatable element, a worm gearcarried thereby, a worm shaft having a worm meshing with said gear, abearing for the WOI'Ill shaft having a laterally projecting stud, arigid connection between the stud and said element, and a speed changedriving mechanism for the worm shaft.

1. A driving gear mechanism comprising a driven element, a worm gearcarried thereby, a worm shaft extending at an inclination and having oneend arranged over said driven element, a Worm on said shaft meshing withsaid gear, a bearing for the said end of the worm shaft, a rigidconnection between said bearing and said element, and a speed changedriving means for said worm shaft.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 24 day of May,1911.

CHARLES JOHNSON. CHARLES FRANK.

\Vitnesses:

L. A. PIERCE, D. J. STRICKLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O.

